John Hulse, Robert Marshall and Jason Howett-Elliott jailed over Operation Ironside drug house

Three men arrested during Operation Ironside raids of a northern suburbs drug house have been jailed for their “mid-level” role in the “large-scale” syndicate.

Three men arrested during a raid on a “mind-boggling” drug house uncovered during Operation Ironside have been jailed – including a man who was paid $30,000 per month to live there.

On February 3, 2021, police burst into a Northfield house to find Jason Howett-Elliott, 41, Robert Marshall, 39, and John Hulse, 46, and three other men in the process of packaging cannabis.

In sentencing on Thursday, District Court Judge Rauf Soulio said Hulse, Marshall and Howett-Elliott were on the “middle rung” of a “large-scale” drug trafficking operation and were “directed” to perform certain roles by two alleged “principal” offenders.

During the police raid, police seized 237kg of cannabis worth as much as $760,000.

Police initially suspected the operation was linked to a bikie gang, but the court has since heard the men involved were “blokey blokes” in search of a “quick bob”.

“The rooms in the house were set up for what was described as the large-scale packaging of cannabis,” he said.

“The cannabis was in plain sight and the odour of the cannabis permeated through the residence.”

The raids also netted three bundles of cash, totalling $83,050.

Bags of cannabis found inside the Northfield property. Picture: AFP

Police also seized 13 vacuum seal machines, digital scales, plastic heat sealable bags and cardboard moving boxes for the packaging of cannabis, two industrial carbon filters, 14 mobile telephones, handwritten lists containing names, instructions, figures and dates.

Judge Soulio said police uncovered the drug house during a review of encrypted communication sent across the AN0M application at the centre of Operation Ironside, which was being secretly monitored by law enforcement agencies.

“It is apparent from the communications that the three of you, whilst actively involved in the cannabis packaging process, were subject to the directions of the alleged principals of the operation,” he said.

Heat sealed bags of cannabis being processed at the Northfield property. Picture: AFP

He said the three men were paid for the number of bags packed each week, while Mr Howett-Elliott was paid to reside at the property “to ensure the property appeared lived-in”.

“It is apparent from the amounts paid, although not insignificant, you were no more than the middle rung of the operation,” Judge Soulio said.

“It is clear that you were at all times subject to the direction of the asserted principals of the operation.”

Judge Soulio said Mr Howett-Elliot had been asked to live in the house, rent free. The court has previously heard he was paid about $30,000 per month to live there.

He said Howett-Elliott initially had no idea of the scale of the cannabis production until he felt it was “too late to back out”.

“You regarded it as ‘mind-boggling’ when you discovered the set-up inside the house,” he said.

Judge Soulio said none of the trio had unexplained wealth, nor were they living lives of luxury.

The men each pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking a commercial quantity of cannabis.

After allowing for a discount for their pleas of guilty, Judge Soulio jailed the trio for four years and five months with a non-parole period of two years and three months.